Computing-scale



(No Model.)

y l) by (Qgj UNITED STATES FFICE.

IIORACE E. SXVIF, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL OOMPUTING SCAE COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, HAINE.

GMPUTNGSGALE.

SPECIFICATION forining part of Letters Patent No. 579,550, datecl March 23, 1897.

Application filed January 25, 1896. Serial No. 576,847. (No model.)

To (tli who/it it nuty (1071/0817;

Be it known that 1, HORACE lfl. SWiFr, of Boston, county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improrement in Computing-Scales, of which the following' description, in connection with the accompanying drawings,is a specification, like letters and numerals on the drawings representing like parts.

This inrention has for its object the production of a novel and accurate computingscale wherein the aggregate price of the article weighed may be computed automatically according to the unit price of said article.

The construction of the scale is at once simple, strong, and readily operable, while quicklyresponsive to the slightest change of weight orprice per unit and accurate throughout the entire range of the scale.

In this invention the operation of the computin g meehanism is determined by the change of form of a controlling member, such change Varying in accordancc with the unit price, the controlling member being herein shown as a preferably resilient metallie strip adapted to be twisted into spiral form, the pitch of the spiral or helix Varyin g in accordance with the unit price. This controlling member herein is in such coperatiye engagcment with the computing mechanism that the operation of the latter is determined by the pitch of the imparted spiral.

I have herein for conVenienee shown my invention as embodied in a beam-Scale; but my inVention is not restricted thereto, nor to any particular construction and arrangement of apparatus, for so far as am aware it is broadly new to govern the operation of the computing mechanism in a scale of the class described by a change or Variation in the form of a controlling member, such change or Variation of form corresponding to the unit price of the article.

Figure 1, in side elevation, represents one well-known form of beam-scale with my in- Vention embodied therein. Fig. 2 is a trans- Verse sectional View showing the price-computing mechanism, taken on the line az, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail View in elevation and section of the price-computing mechanism, controlling member, and means for changing the form of the latter in accordance with the unit price. Fig. 4: is a transVerse sectional View On the line .'r' a, 3, of the looking niechanism for the controlling member; and Fig. is a longitudinal sectional detail of the looking mechanism with the releasing device omitted.

Referring to lfig. l, the Scale-base A, having the beam-supporting standard A' pro- Vided with suitable bearings a for the knifeedge journals LX of the beam l, the support B' for the article to be weighed, mounted on the beam, and the counter-balance XV may be and are all as common in so-called beam or counter scales. I have herein shown the free arm of the beam B as com posed of two separated rigid bars U and U3 in different Vertical and horizontal pla-nes, securcd at their ends to holders Z): bl, said bars constituting tracks or guides for a poise O, longitudinally movable thereon. The bar b', as herein shown, has its outer face graduated in the direction of its length to indicate pounds and fractions thereof, a pointer or linger c on the poise C coperatin g with said grad uations to indicate the weight of the article by the position of the poise.

As shown best in Figs. 2 and 3, the poise C has a cylindrical portion c' between the bars b' D2, and mounted rotatably in the end 02 thereof is the hollow hub (Z/ of a beVel-gear (Z, said gear being retained in place in its bearingbyasuitable an'nulus (ZX, Fig. 3. The outer end (Z2 of the hub d' is shown as slotted diametrically, Figs. 2 and 3, for a purpose to be described, the gear (Z within the part c of the poise having its teeth in engagement with a beVel-pinion c, fast on the inner end of a spindle 8', extended through a boss CX of the part c, a collar e2 on the outer end of the stud retaining it in place.

For greater conVonience of observation, as will be apparent, the top of the poise is inclined, as best shown in Fig. 2, to receive thereon a dial-platef, prefcrably inclosed by a casingf' and a eoverfg, of glass or other transparent material.

The spindle e' projects through the center of the dial and has fast thereto a hand or pointer E, moVable around a series of graduations on the dial, (partially shown in Fig. 1,)

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indicating dollars and fractions thereof or any other desired unit of value.

Obviously rotation of the pointer E by means of the pinion e and gear (Z will indicate upon the dial f an amount of money corresponding to the extent of such rotation, the said gear-pinion, dial, and pointer constituting` price-computing mechanism.

I have herein shown the controlling` member of the scale as a thin preferably resilient strip or ribbon h, of metal, preferably tempered steel, attached at one end to a plug h', rigidly secured from longitudinal or rotative movement in a boss Z)3 of the holder bg (see Fig. 3) bya pin 20 or in other desirable manner, the other end of the controlling member h being mounted in a rotatablemanner, to be described, said member passing through the diametrical slot in the gearhub d'. The other end of the controlling member h is sccured to a spindle 7L2, rotatable in a bearing Z)4x in the holder bl and provided with a toothed or notched looking-disk 7L3. Said bearin g has a laterally-extended head 215, provided with an annular outwanlly-turned flan ge or lip U', Figs. l and 3, to receive therein the circular wall or bevel m' of a preferably milled nut m, loose on the spindle 7L2, the hub m' of the nut being retained in place by a suitable cap hl, secured to the outer end of the spindle. The nut m and disk r are connected to rotate in unison by a pin or stud 30 on one entering` a hole in the other, permitting movement of the nut toward and from the disk. A detent, herein shown as aspring 8 secured to the bearing blX, has an upturned lug` 8/, adapted to enter one or other of the notches of the disk 713 to prevent its rotation, and consequently the rotation of the spindle W, said spring being in the path of the wall m' of the nut, so that when the latter is moved inward the detent will be withdrawn from engagement and release the disk h3, rotation of the nut thereafter in either direction rotating t-he spindle 7x2.

In order to keep the controlling member 7b under tension, I interpose a spring-washer S between the bearing 171x and the disk W, as herein shown, said spring being shown best in Fig.` 4 as triangular in shape.

The barrel m' of the nut m is graduated externally, as at M, Fig. 1, and herein shown as having fifty equal divisions, to denote the unit price of the article, an index M' on the exterior of the flange bG coperatin g therewith, the nut acting as a unit-price-selecting device.

Now when the price-selecting device is set at zero the controlling member h will be maintained as a flat strip or band, and the poise C may be moved along the beam B to any point without any operation of the computing mechanism, and articles can be weighed in the usual manner as with an ordinary beamscale. If, however, the price-selectin g nut m be moved ever so little from zero position, the form of the controlling member h will be proportionally changed, the said member being twisted, as herein shown, into a helix or spiral whose pitch is uniform throughout its length, the pitch depending upon the amount of rotation of the priee-selecting device. Such change in form of the controlling` member being effected, any movement of the poise O along the beam will, through the rotation imparted to the actuating-gear (Z by the spiral trend of the controlling member, operate the computing mechanism proportionally to the Variation of form of the controlling member from the normal, such proportional movement being determined by the pitch of the helix. Accordingly when the aggrcgate price of an article is desired corresponding to a given unit price the price-selecting nut m is pressed in by the operator, either before or after the poise has been positioned, to release 'he disk 7b, and then turned until the proper unit price denoted on the graduation M is opposite the index M', and thereafter the said nut is released to lock the disk 703 and thereby the controlling member 72, as described. The weight of the article, which is placed upon the platform B', is then determined by the positioning of the poise, and the computing mechanism will, by its hand E and graduated dial f, indicate the aggregate or computed price of such article according to the unit price selected. The resiliency of the controlling' member 7L tends to return it to normal position when released and also insures absolute uniformity of pitch th rou gho u t its length when its normal form has been changed.

As will be evident, the parts of the computing mechanism are so few in number that but little friction has to be overcome, and the operation of the said mechanism is very positive and exact, whether the weight of the article or the unit price thereof 'be small or large.

The poise C is preferably provided with a finger-piece CX to Vfacilitate its positioning by the operator.

By adjustin g the counterbalance of the beam it will be obvious that the computing mechanism as a whole may com prise the poise, or the poise proper may support a price-computing mechanism, as hcrein shown.

Vvlhile I have herein shown my invention embodied in a beam-Scale, it will bc obvious that my invention is not restricted thereto, for other forms of computing-seale may be made embodying and Operating in accordance with the principle herein set forth.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a computing-Scale, weighing mechanism, price-computin g m echanism; and a separate controlling member to determine by its form the operation of the computin g mechanism, substantially as described.

2. In a computing-Scale, weighing mechanism, price-computing` mechanism; a controlling member to determine by its form the oplOO IIC

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eration of the computing mechanism, and a unit-priee-selecting device to govern the form of the controlling' member, substantially as described.

3. In a computing-Scale, Weighing mechanism; price-computingmechanism; a resilient controlling member adapted to determine by its change of form the operation of the pricecomputing mechanism, and means to retain said controlling member in a predetermined form, substantially as described.

et. In a computing-Scale, Weighing mechanism; priee-eomp utin g meehanism; and a flexible controlling member to determine the operation of said computing mechanism by fiexure of the controlling member in accordance With the unit price, substantially as described.

5. In a computing-Scale, weighin g mechanism; price-computing mechanism actuated by operation of the Weighing mechanism, a resilient metallic controlling member adapted to be varied in form to determine the operation of the computing mechanism, and a manually-operated price-selecting device to vary the form of said controlling member, substantially as described.

(3. In a computing-Scale, weighing mechanism including a member positioned according to the weight of the article; price-computing mechanism actuated by movement of said member, and a controlling member to determine by its change of form the operation of the price-computing meehanism, substantially as desoribed.

7. In a computing-Scale, weighin g mechanism including a member positioned according to the Weight of the article; price-computing mechanism carried thereby; a controlling' member in continuous engagement with the computing mechanism, to determine by its form the operation of said meehanism, and means to change the form of said controlling member in accordance With the unit price, substantially as described.

8. In a computing-Scale, Weighing mechanism, including a member positioned according to the weight of the article; price-computing meehanism carried thereby; a resilient controlling member in engagement with said computing' mechanism, and means to impart spiral twist to said controlling member varied in pitch in accordance with the unit price, to determine the operation of the computing mechanism, substantially as described.

O. In a computing-Scale, Weighing mechanism; price-computing mechanism, including a rotatable member; a resilient controlling member in en gagement therewith, and means to impart spiral twist to said controlling member in accordance With the unit price, relative movement of said rotatable controlling members in the direction of the length of the latter determining the operation of the comp uting meehanism substantially as described.

10. In a computing-scale,\veighing mechanism, including a beam and a poise movable thereon 5 price-computing mechanism carried by said poise; a controlling member supported by the beam, and means to change the form of said member in accordance with the unit price, to determine the operation of the computing meehanism,substantially as described.

11. In a computing beam-Scale, a beam; a poise movable thereon; a resilient metallic controlling member supported by said beam and rigidlyheld at one end thereof; means to twist said controlling member in accordance With the unit price of the article weighed, and price-computin g mechanism bodily movable in unison with the poise and in continuous engagement With and having its operation determined by the change in form of the controlling member, substantially as descrbed.

12. In a computing beam-Scale, a beam; price-computing meehanism bodily movable thereon; a thin metallic strip supported by the beam and rigidly held at one end eonstituting a controlling member; manually-operated means to twist said strip in the direction of its length, and to retain it in twisted form, and a device to maintaiu the controlling` member under tension, the pitch of the spiral of said member dotermining the operation of the com pu tin g mechanism when moved bodily on the beam, substantially as described.

13. In a computing-scale, Weighing mechanism; computing mechanism bodily movable accordingI to the Weight of the article; a resilient, flexible controlling memberin engagement with and adjacent the path of bodily movement of said computing mechanism, and means to twist said controlling member to thereby determine the operation of the computing mechanism, the pitch of the spiral varying according to the unit price, substantially as described.

14-. In a computing-seale, a beam; priceeomputing mechanism thereon, a resilient, flexible controlling member also supported by the beam and in engagement With said mechanism, to determine by its form the operation of the latter, and means to change the form of said member in accordance with the unit price of the article, said computing mechanism and controlling member being relatively movable in the direetion of the length of the latter, substantially as described.

In testimony Whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribin g witnesses.

IIORACE E. SWIFT.

'Titnesses:

JOHN O. EDWARDS, FREDERICK L. EMERY,

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